Platen press



NOV. 26, 1929. BURNHAM 1,737,143

PLATEN PRESS Filed N 192'! 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 frame/7,6021 [any an 0e [1% flauvv'uun atented Nev. 4%, $29

LAWRENCE H. BURKE, 9F LEXINGTGN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNQB, BY HESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T H0033 RUBBER COMPANY INC., 9% WATEBTQWN, MAESAGHU- fiEETS, A CQREQTION 0F SACHUSET'lfi rna rnn rams application filed November a, 1927. erlal No. 231,833.

This'invention relates to a platen press, and particularly to a mechanism lorsustaining the weight of certain of the movable mold supporting press members when the press is open.

The object of the invention is to provide a mechanism to be used in conjunction wit that illustrated in United States Letters Patent No. 1,578,989, patented March 16, 1926, the said mechanism being provided tor the purpose of taking the load of the lower platen, platen base and ram, thereby relieving the upper platen member of the weight it was called upon to support in the device of the patent.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism that will make it possible to arrest the downward movement of the ram sooner than formerly, thereby reducing the time required to open and close the press.

The invention consists in a platen press as set forth in the following specification and particularly as pointed out in the claims thereof.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of a platen press embodying my invention, the front tie rods of the press being broken away to more clearly illustrate the mechanism located therebehind.

Fig. .2 is a side elevation of the press.

Fig. 3 is a plan view.

Fig. l is an enlarged detail view illustrating one of the abutments for supporting the movable press members.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

is the drawings, 1 represents an upper press member and 2 a lower press member or platen base. The upper press member 1 is held in a fixed position by means of a plurality of tie rods 3, connecting it to a base a and thus constitutes the press head or thrust sustaining member. The lower press mem her, or platen base 2, is supported by a power 0 erated device which, in the present case, is shown conventionally as the movable element of a ram 5. The lower member 2, therefore, constitutes a movable pressing member.

Between the members 1 and 2 are located a plurality of intermediate platens or press members 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10. The upper platen member 6 is rigidly secured in any suitable manner to the under surface of the head 1. The lower platen 10 is rigidly secured in any suitable manner to the upper surface of the platen base 2. The platens 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 are each provided with a plurality of angle bracketsll, there being a bracket located adjacent to each corner ofeach of said platens, and the platens 7, 8, 9 and 10 are all slidably connected to a plurality of vertical rods 12,-

said rods extending upwardly through the angle brackets 11. Collars 13, rigidly fastened to the rods 12 engage the under surfaces of the brackets 11, and a collar 14 rigidly fastened to each of the rods lfl limits the downward movement of each of the rods relatively to the platen l. The rods 12 and collars 13 and 14, therefore, constitute a means for connecting the platens 7, 8, 9 and 10 to each other with a limited sliding movement.

The platen 7, which is the uppermost of the movable platen members, is provided upon opposite sides thereof with projecting angle brackets 15 which are arranged to selectively co-operate with a plurality of abutments 16, 17, 18 and 19 carried by rotatable vertical shafts 20 located upon opposite sides of the press and journalled in bearings :21 and 22 located upon the press base and head respectively. The corresponding abutments on the opposite shafts 20 constitute a coacting pair and simultaneously engage" and support the platen 7 upon opposite sides thereof in a manner hereinafter to be more fully described.

Rig-idly secured to the opposite sides of the lower press member, or platen base 2, are angle brackets 23, each of which is con structed and arranged to selectively coopthe abutments 16, 17, 18 and 19, since no loading takes place below the loading level of the press. It is essential, however, that the abutments 24 shall be set so as to act at the time that the brackets 11 rest upon thecollars 13 and the platen 10 is at the loading level.-

The abutments 16, 17 18 and 19; and 24, 25, 26 and 27 are projected from the shaft 20 at different degrees of angularity, or on different radii, so that two abutments of each shaft will engage the angle brackets 15 and 23 at a time, and by turning the shaft simultaneously to the proper angle, any one of the corresponding pairs of abutments may be brought'into position to co-operate with the brackets 15 and 23 of the platen 7 and platen base 2 respectively.

For turning the shafts 20, a hand lever 28 is provided at the top of the press, pivoted at 29 at the back of said press and extending forward to a position within convenient reach of the operator. The lever 28 is pivotally connected to a slide bar 30, which is provided at opposite ends thereof with racks 31, which mesh with pinions 32 fast to the upper ends of the shafts 20.

Locatedat the front of the press head is a plate 33 provided with notches 34, 35, 36 and 37, into any one of which the free end of the lever 28 may be dropped, a pivotal connection 29 being designed to permit the slight vertical movement necessary for this purpose, and hence, by positioning the lever 28 in any desired notch, the operator may set the press to bring the desired platen to rest with its upper surface at the unloading level.

The various abutments, all of which are identical in construction, are constructed of pairs of plates, which are pivotally connected at 38 to the oppositesides of a squared portion of the shafts 20. The pairs of plates of each abutment are connected at the rear of the shaft by a pin 39, to which is connected a spring 40 seated in a recess in the shaft, said spring having its other end secured to a pin 41. The spring thus tends to hold the abutment plates pro ected into theposition shown in full lines in Fig. 4, so that it will be in platen arresting position, the movement in this direction being limited by the contact of the cross pin 39 with the side of the shaft 20, but at the same time the abutment plates are free to move upwardly against the tension of the spring into the position shown in dotted lines in said figure.

A table or bench 42, a portion of which is illustrated in Fig. 2, at the front of the press,

has an u per surface, which is located at the level of t e upper surface of the platen member 10 when the parts are positioned as in Figs. 1 and 2.

The ram 5 is hung or secured to the platen base 2 b means of straps 43 which may be detache when necessary.

The general operation of the press-hereinbefore specifically described is as follows Assuming the press to be loaded with molds, which are located as indicated in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2 upon the upper surfaces of the platens 7, 8, 9 and 10, and it is desired by the operator of the press to remove themold the brackets 11 until further movement thereof is arrested by the engagement of the brackets 15 of the platen 7 with the abutments 16, and similarly, platens 7, 8, 9 and 10 slide downwardly upon the rods 12 until arrested by their respective brackets engaging the collars 13 upon the rods 12, and the parts are rest at the level of the top surface of the table 42, as illustrated in Fig. 2, at which time the mold containing the cured article can be easily slid out'on to the table and a fresh mold substituted. At the same time that the platen 10 comes to rest at the level'of the table 42, the brackets 23 of the platen base 2 will engage the abutments 24 and the latter will thereafter support the weight of the platen 10, platen base 2 and ram 5, thereby arresting the downward movement of each.

It will thus be noted that the weight of the platens 7, 8 and 9 is now supported by the abutments 16 and the weight of the platen 1O, platen base 2 and ram 5 is supported by the abutments 24.

Assuming now that on the next operation it is desired to remove the mold from between the platens 9 and 8, the lever 28is shifted to the notch 35, thereby causing the shafts 20 to be rotated through an agle of 90 and to position the abutments 17 and 25 in line with the brackets 15 and 23 respectively of the platen 7 ,and platen base 2, whereupon the platen 7 will be permitted to descend one stepv further and the upper surface of the platen 9 willbe arrested at the level of the top surface of the table 42. In like manner, by positionin the lever 28 into engagement with the note es 36 and 37 the platens 8 and 7 are lowered to their unloading and loading position, and in each instance, the weight of the lower platen 10, platen base 2 and ram 5 will be taken up by certain of the lower group of abutments which are successively rotated into position to project beneath the brackets 23.

I claim so proportioned that the platen 10 comes to 1. The combination in a press of the char- .4

acter described of superposed vertically movable pressing members, a ram for operating the ram and support the same independent of the pressing members when the press is open.

' 3. The combination in a'press of the character described of superposed vertically movable pressing members, including a platen base, a ram for operating said pressing members, means for causing any of the pressing members to come to rest at a predetermined elevation, and other means to arrest the downward movement of the ram and platen base and support the same independent of the pressing members when the press is open.

4:. The combination in a press of the character-described of a thrust sustainin member, a ram coacting therewith, a plurality of intervening superposed vertically movable pressing members adapted to be 0 erated by said ram, a mold supporting table ocated at a fixed elevation, means controllable by the operator for selectively arresting the downward movement of any of said pressing members at the table level, and other means independent of the pressing members and operable in unison with said last-named means for supporting the ram when the press is open.

5. The combination in a press of the character described of a thrust sustaining member, a ram, a plurality of interposed pressing members, means slidingly connecting said pressing members said means including stops for limiting the amount of separation of the pressing members the uppermost and lowermost of said pressing members having brackets projecting therefrom vertical rock shafts having radially, positioned abutments arranged at difi'erent elevations, and means for rotating said rock shafts to cause certain of said abutments to engage the brackets of said pressing members.

6. Thecombination in a press of the character described of a thrust sustaining member, a ram, a plurality of interposed press members, including a platen base, means slidingly connecting said press members, said means including stops for limiting the amount of separation of the pressing members, the uppermost of said pressing members and said platen base each having brackets projecting therefrom, vertical rock shafts having radially positioned abutments arranged at different elevations, gears at the upper ends of said. shafts, a reciprocating bar having racks engaging said gears, and means to operate said bar to move saidabutments into position to engage the brackets of said upper platen member and laten base.

7. In a press of t e character described the combination of a-press head and a lower power operated pressing member, of a plurality of interposed movable pressing members, means for connecting said pressingv members to each other with a limited sliding movement, means for arresting the downward movement of the topmost movable pressing memberat different elevations, and means independent of the interposed pressing members for arresting the downward movement of the power operated pressing member at difierent elevations.

In testimony wherof I have hereunto set my hand.

LAURENCE H. BURNHAM. 

